This invention relates to a three-dimensional figurine that includes various appendages and includes a means for displaying a virtual character that a user may interact with by interacting with the appendages of the three-dimensional figurine.
Electronic figurines are widely known and include various means for a user to interact therewith. Through a variety of switches and/or buttons the user may be able to activate pre-programmed responses that cause the electronic figurines to move, dance, sing, cry, vibrate or even roller skate. More advanced electronic figurines may even have the means to detect sound or movement allowing multiple figurines to interact with each other, as well as the user. For instance, electronic figurines that can detect sound may allow the figurine to respond to various voice commands. Other electronic figurines include a variety of internal and external switches placed throughout the figurines, which when activated causes the figurines to produce various pre-programmed movement and/or sound. Commonly placed switches would include being placed in the ears, hands, feet and torso. Even more advanced figurines, such as electronic animals, include infrared switches, such that by moving in front of the electronic animal the animal would bark or meow.
While the combination of the above discussed electronic toys seem endless, these electronic toys lack the more advanced inclusion of virtual toys. Virtual toys are also widely known. Small hand-held toys, such as virtual pets, allow a user to control or interact with a virtual character, by depressing a set of buttons, typically located underneath a display screen. Pre-programmed responses related to the virtual character are released when the user depresses the buttons. For instance, the set of buttons include a feeding button, a playing button and an exercise button. Depressing the right combination of buttons can cause the virtual character to be happy and grow, while depressing the wrong combination may cause the virtual character to be angry, sad or die. In addition, display screens have also been used to produce various facial expressions such as movement associated with eyes, the mouth, ears and nose. Such virtual facial expressions and virtual characters are more commonly adapted for use on personal computers with screen savers and help stations.
However, the combination of the electronic figurine with a virtual character is lacking. While prior art does exist that attempts to combine the two, for instance U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,618 to Larian describes a toy character with an electronic game unit, the prior art lacks the ability to interact with the virtual character, through the interaction with the physical character. The Larian patent combines a physical stuffed toy, like a teddy bear, and attaches a removable virtual game unit. The removable virtual game unit includes an LCD screen and a series of buttons located underneath the screen, which provides the user with the ability to interact with a virtual character having pre-programmed characteristics. The only connection between the physical stuffed toy and the virtual character is that the two may be similar, such that a toy teddy bear may include a virtual bear character, or a stuffed toy rabbit may include a virtual rabbit character. Further related art may also include figurines with an LCD screen provided in the chest. These electronic toys, similar to the Larian patent, simply provide a physical figurine and a separate electronic toy or game. The only connection between the two toys is that the game is related in some fashion to the physical character. However as mentioned above, the Larian patent and other related art lack the ability to interact with the virtual character, through the interaction with the physical character.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an electronic figurine that includes a physical three-dimensional figurine with appendages and includes a virtual character that the user may interact with by interacting with the appendages. More specifically, there is provided a physical figurine that includes a display screen, which is also shaped as a computer monitor, as the head and the body. Sprouting from the monitor are various physical appendages of the figurine such as legs, feet, ears, tails, hair and/or arms. The face of the physical figurine is entirely controlled by pre-programmed virtual facial expressions. However, the display screen further displays other pre-programmed images that include symbols, words, and animation sequences that include a virtual figurine (shaped similarly to the physical figurine) living in a virtual environment doing various virtual activities. The pre-programmed images personify a specific personality that includes behavior and characteristics that relate to the electronic figurine. In additional embodiments, a speaker and/or a LED source are included to further facilitate the behavior and characteristics provided in audible sounds and physical changes or characteristics.
For exemplary purpose only, one individual figurine may include a rude personality. This rude personality is typically associated with specific behavior and characteristics. Virtual characteristics associated to an electronic figurine with a rude personality may include mean virtual facial expressions, such as the tongue sticking out; and rude virtual activities, such as mud throwing. Audible characteristics associated with a rude personality may include spitting sounds, and physical characteristics may include darker colors such as red and black.
In further embodiments each electronic figurine is provided with a specific virtual environment where the figurine supposedly lives. This virtual environment further defines the personality of the electronic figurine, for example, if the electronic figurine lives in the mountains, activities may include rock climbing or cliff diving.
The electronic figurines further includes a plurality of switches and/or sensors that are triggered by interacting with the appendages of the physical figurine, for instance by pulling its arms or tail, rubbing its feet, brushing its hair, or shaking and turning it over, etc. The switches and/or sensors trigger the electronics to play pre-programmed responses on the display means, emit various sounds through the speaker and/or change various colors through the LED source. For example, if the electronic figurine is sleeping, the display means may show a virtual facial expression of eyes closed, or a virtual activity showing the virtual figurine sleeping in a bed, or symbols may be displayed showing xe2x80x9cZZZ""sxe2x80x9d scroll across the LCD screen, audible sounds such as snoring may also be played. If the user shakes the electronic figurine or pulls the tail of the physical figurine, a sensor may be triggered which will cause the electronics to play a pre-programmed response associated with waking someone up. For example, the virtual display may change from a virtual sleeping activity to a virtual activity showing the figurine getting out of bed, and the audible sounds may also change from snoring to a yawn. As such, it will be further described in greater detail below, that the present invention provides a user with the ability to interact with a virtual figurine by interacting with the physical figurine, which in turn may also change audible and/or physical characteristics.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.